The Wrong Woman
by KIKIDREAMS
Summary: For several years Ichigo Kurosaki has felt odd, wrong. And he just realised why. Torn between loyalty and love, Ichigo tries to make amends for his past mistakes, without hurting anyone else. Rating will change. Not AU, IchiRuki
1. Chapter 1

**(Sigh) I seem to be doing this Forbidden Love type of thing a lot... (by a lot I mean the first two on this account...) Oh well... Enjoy! And Feedback is always appreciated!**

**Standard Disclaimer applies, and enjoy "The Wrong Woman"**

* * *

Sometimes, Ichigo Kurosaki pondered happiness.

He thought about the choices he'd made in his life and how he'd gotten to where he ended up and wondered if doing something differently would have made things easier. Better.

The answer came to him one ordinary day, when it was raining.

He'd woken up one morning with a sudden sense that everything was wrong, somehow, and the feeling wasn't new. He studied the sleeping features of his wife carefully, as he did every morning, and sighed, getting out of bed, hopefully without waking her.

He made himself a coffee and leant against the counter in his pyjamas, glaring around the kitchen diner with a scowl. An enlarged photo of his wedding day hung on the largest wall, along with several smaller photos of their honeymoon and trips out with friends.

"You should have woken me, Ichigo." Orihime's sleepy voice murmured from the doorway.

Ichigo turned and shrugged. "Thought you'd appreciate the rest." He lifted one side of his mouth in an attempted smile. "Coffee?"

Orihime brightened up. "With ketchup?"

Ichigo turned to the kettle. "You can add the ketchup yourself." He bit back anything further; whenever he let his mouth run away with him he's end up insulting her and she'd go all quiet and sad, and he'd feel bad and they'd end up tense for weeks.

Not worth the effort.

Orihime sighed. "Thanks." And got out the ketchup bottle. "What are you going to do today?"

Ichigo glanced up and passed her the steaming mug. "I've got a shift at the hospital, and then I'll probably do some rounds." He said, shrugging. "I'll probably be back late."

The redhead smiled, fingering her ring absently. "That's okay... do you want me to cook?"

"Nah." Ichigo shook his head. "I don't want to keep you up. You go to bed."

"I don't mind-..."

"It's fine." Ichigo said, putting the empty mug in the dishwasher and striding upstairs, returning shortly after in a white shirt and jeans, ID badge swinging cheerfully from his belt. "See ya." He said, not looking at her. He threw on his jacket and was gone.

Orihime sighed and looked around the empty house.

* * *

"So I said to Gracia..." Ichigo closed his eyes as Maes continued chattering about his wife and child, exchanging a long suffering look with Roy, he kept pace as the three surgeons came to a stop at the nurses desk, checking their schedules even as Maes produced several hundred photos of his toddler daughter from nowhere. "And she clapped! How adorable!"

"How's your pretty little wife then, Ichigo?" Roy smirked, leaning across the desk. "I heard you're taking out your holiday tomorrow... gonna spend the day with her?"

"Huh?" Ichigo shook his head. "No. I'm gonna go to see my family for the day."

"Orihime not going?"

"No... I didn't think to ask her." Ichigo shrugged and the two other consultant surgeons exchanged a knowing glance. "...What?"

"Just seems a bit weird, man." Roy shrugged. "I've met the girl a couple of times... she's nice and everything... I don't know why you seem so keen to avoid her."

"Avoid her?" Ichigo scowled. "I'm not avoiding her, she's my wife for fucks sake."

"And how often do you say 'I love you'?" Maes said seriously, and Ichigo raised his eyebrows.

"Come on, man. I don't say stuff like that."

"Ever?" This time Roy raised his eyebrows, and Ichigo turned his eyes skyward. "You've never said it to her?"

"Well, do you say it to Riza every day?"

"I'm right here, Ichigo." The nurse interrupted. "Discuss me in the office if you must, Roy."

"Will do babe." Roy smirked, and as the three men headed up the corridor he shrugged. "Not every day like Maes says... but he calls his family every hour... But I do say it, even if it's just a whisper in bed."

A clipboard flew through the air, knocking the dark haired doctor over, and Riza's voice echoed off the walls. "I said in the office, Roy."

"Yes ma'am." Roy straightened up and met Ichigo's eyes. "Just... make the effort, Ichigo. You married her for a reason, right?" And with that, the three separated, Maes dialling his home number.

_Married her for a reason, huh?_

* * *

Ichigo dug out Kon's pill from the little box in his pocket at six, eyeing is mistrustfully. "I don't like you, and you don't like me... but I cut it too close with the badge last time." He muttered, and clenched his eyes shut as he swallowed the green pill.

Stepping out of his body, he scowled as Kon stretched his arms and legs languidly. "Ugh... That feels better." He glared at Ichigo. "You know that box gives me bruises in all kinds of places."

"Ichigo." The man in question looked up to see the short, dark haired Shinigami at his window. "You ready?"

The orange haired man grinned quickly, jumping onto the sill beside her. "Sure." He turned to Kon, who was eyeing Rukia as though about to launch himself at her chest. "Get my body home, Orihime'll know it's you so don't... humiliate me." He scowled briefly then turned to his partner. "Let's go kick some ass."

Rukia smirked.

It was a quiet night, and the two ended up sitting together on a roof in the town centre, looking up at the stars.

"We still on for tomorrow?" Ichigo checked, turning to the petite Shinigami beside him- the Captains had organised a meeting and, as was now usual, he was privy to all things the captains and Lieutenants knew. Since Rukia had been made Lieutenant of squad 5 under Momo as Captain, she'd been his main source of all the information he missed out on, and patrolled with him at night.

Renji had once said it was weird for a married man to hang out with a girl so much... but it wasn't. Ichigo and Rukia were best friends, and Momo practically ordered Rukia to take breaks for patrolling with Ichigo, saying that she would contact her if she needed to.

Byakuya was happy enough with it- Ichigo was a married man, and so didn't pose a threat to his little sister. Just like Kaien...

But that was going into a whole load of weird.

Rukia had idolised Kaien, and with Ichigo... well if anything then _he _was the one doping the idolising.

"Yes. Captain Hinamori said that the meeting will start at ten in the morning." Rukia sighed. "You're sure it's okay to use up a holiday like this? What about Orihime?"

"Orihime understands. It's fine." Ichigo lay back with his hands under his head.

"How is she? What's she up to?" Rukia smiled. "I've not seen her in ages... I miss her."

Ichigo opened his mouth, then closed it again. Honestly? He had no idea what she was doing. "Uh... she's good. Doing the housewife thing, I guess."

Rukia glanced at him appraisingly, but said nothing.

"Hollow." She said as he phone started to beep. "About five." She looked up, game face on. "Let's go."

The two sped off towards the park, and centred themselves in the ring of Hollows, about to chow down on the ghost of a teenage boy.

"Normal positions?" Ichigo checked, and Rukia scoffed.

"Why change perfection?" And they attacked as one. Years of training and battling together had honed their moves so that they were perfectly in sync- Black and White... Strawberry and... Cream? Whatever, point is that they were in tune to one another.

"Sode no Shirayuki..."

"... Zangetsu!"

The first four were gone in a flash, not even knowing what had hit them, and then the final one went to devour the spirit, who was sheltering behind a slide.

"Hey!" Rukia shouted, angrily leaping forward before Ichigo could react. "I'm not done with you yet, bastard!" And she threw herself in front of the giant's gaping jaws.

And Ichigo lost sight of her.

Time seemed to slow right down... Ichigo was frozen as he listened to his heart stop for one painful moment...

She was so small... that thing could easily swallow her whole.

In his mind's eye, he saw everything... from the moment she'd first saved him that day in town, and the time she stepped through his wall... and everything since then.

His heart thudded once, painfully, as he remembered her face, waving him off the first time he left her behind in Soul Society... so full of determined peace.

_The rain stopped falling._

"RUKIA!"

"What?" She sounded exasperated, and he blinked; the Hollow was gone and the soul was too. It was just him and Rukia, standing in the park. "Stupid giant."

"Uh..."

"You completely spaced out." She leaned over and hit him on the head. "You feeling okay?"

"... Um."

She sighed. "Idiot, you're overworked. Go home. Rest up. Orihime would _kill_ me if I got you hurt." She thought about it. "No she wouldn't... she'd probably apologise... God knows why... OH!" She grinned. "I'll take you home! I want to see that girl! I miss her!"

She happily skipped off, leaving Ichigo to follow her in a daze.

Everything had seemed wrong all day.

No, not just today. Something had been wrong for several years now...

And he'd just realised why.

* * *

**Just so ya know, I will continue this, and change the rating to 'M'... I like Orihime... I just... prefer Rukia. Hehe x**

**REVIEW PLEASEEEEEEEE**


	2. Secret Visit

**This chapter is dedicated to xwhitemoonx, buzzaround, Elizabeth Hawkeye Mustang, lovemydogs82 and miaow1988! Your reviews really helped me to write more! More IchiRuki goodness coming up!**

* * *

Ichigo lay in bed that night with his eyes open, thinking over all the choices he'd made that he could've made differently, he thought about his wife, and how, in high school, she was one of his most treasured friends.

She'd always had a crush on him, true, but it never got in the way.

When she'd asked him on that first date, she'd been so nervous, and about to pass out from stress. Rukia, who'd been beside him at the time, had elbowed him and said yes on his behalf, then Orihime had kissed him, right there, and he'd been too stunned to react.

One date somehow turned into two, and he cared for her too much to let her down.

When she'd asked to marry him, it had taken him by surprise. He'd figured- why not? It couldn't hurt, and there was no-one else he wanted to marry.

It was cruel of him to agree under such conditions, but he wasn't a romantic guy anyway, and Orihime had known that from the start, so she was –he supposed- happy.

This was the point of this charade.

However... what if...

He'd let her down easily on that first date? What if he'd apologised, and gone back to his house, where Rukia was waiting, drawing bunnies, and kissed that girl senseless instead?

He had no doubt that he'd have ended up bruised and battered for his efforts, but what if she'd then liked him back?

What if he'd married her?

Ichigo put a hand to his head, brushing orange strands from his forehead and closing his eyes.

_Damn._

So now he knew what was wrong... how could he fix it?

His life right now was peaceful, and he didn't _dislike _Orihime; he cared for her deeply. He didn't want to hurt her, but Rukia...

_Would hate you for hurting Orihime because of her._

"Damn." He gasped, sitting upright and swinging his legs over. Rukia had left the house three hours ago, after she and Orihime had cried together over "Chappy- the final chronicles" and eaten Miso popcorn.

She'd probably be in Soul Society right now.

He was due there soon anyway... showing up early to spend time with a friend couldn't hurt.

"Ichigo?"

He got up and took the badge, pressing his soul from his body and getting up without a word.

"You're going already?" She checked the time. "I thought the meeting wasn't until later... I'd thought..."

"I have to clear some things up." Ichigo said in clipped tones. "Go back to sleep."

"Right. Silly me." She smiled, closing her eyes. "Have a good day... Ichi..."

"You too." Ichigo sighed, and jumped from the window.

* * *

Rukia Kuchiki was laid on her back, looking up at the ceiling of her bedchamber with furrowed eyebrows and a slight twisting of the lip.

_Why do I have the feeling that something important is about to happen?_

Reluctantly, she sat up and moved to the window, allowing the soft breeze to toy with untidy strands of midnight hair as lavender eyes roamed the garden. She glanced upwards at the sky of Soul Society with a sad smile, reaching out on instinct and attempting to close her hand around one of the stars.

"I wonder if the sky is the same for Soul Society and The World of the Living...?" She murmured to herself, and closed her eyes with her face turned upwards, the soft wind caressing her closed eyelids. "I hope so."

She knew it was stupid to behave like a little girl with a crush, and she really did love Orihime, but she couldn't help looking for small ways to feel closer to him.

They had been best friends for the longest time, and she'd always known that she cared for him deeply... but recently she'd been aware of what the caring meant- and had realised that she was in love with him.

It was stupid.

_I'm spending too much time thinking unnecessary things..._

"Rukia..." She glanced up and raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"What are you doing here, idiot?" She asked, leaning over the sill with a small smirk. "The meeting's not till later."

"Yeah, yeah... But it's easier to sneak in to see you since you moved to the fifth division Lieutenant's apartment. He smirked devilishly. "Plus, we don't get to just hang out very much."

Rukia laughed. "Did the great Ichigo Kurosaki just say that he missed me? We see each other several times a week, strawberry."

Ichigo faltered, and glanced to the ground, causing Rukia's eyes to narrow in concern. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me." She urged, leaning out so that their faces were close to each other. "You came to see me, which means that something is bothering that you don't want to tell anyone else... so tell me."

Ichigo laughed a short bark. "You know me too well, Rukia." Their eyes met, and Rukia almost gasped aloud at the raw intensity in his amber depths.

And he closed the distance between them.

Their lips touched and Rukia felt, rather than willed her eyelids to close. Ichigo's soft lips –softer than she'd have thought- coaxed her gently and for just a second, she could pretend that it was still high school, and that Ichigo had never...

"Stop!" Rukia pulled back, and turned wide, horrified eyes on her best friend. "How..." She held back the tears of shame by reaching across and slapping Ichigo round the face, hard.

From the darkened hue of his eyes, and the lack of verbal response, she knew that the slap had hurt him much worse than any of her kicks or punches. "... I'm so-."

"Don't say that you're sorry." She commanded, and moved back into her room. Ichigo stood still for a moment before blushing madly and kicking a pebble.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" He hissed, glancing up at the window with narrowed eyes. "You, of all people Rukia, should know I don't do... that sort of thing impulsively!"

Her face appeared at the window again and his breath was taken away at the glow of the moon on her pale skin. "I know that, idiot. Get inside."

Glaring at her, he obeyed and stood with her beside the window. "Rukia..." He trailed off as she closed and bolted the window with quick fervour.

"Shut up." She snapped, and stormed to the other side of the room, opening the wardrobe and throwing on an outer-layer kimono, suddenly reminding Ichigo that she was in the flimsy white under-kimono she used for sleeping, eliciting another blush as he wondered if it was at least semi-transparent...

"You married Orihime." She said sharply.

Ichigo looked away. "Yeah."

"How can you even think that I'd betray her like that?" Rukia breathed, "You chose her. You can't just change your mind because you feel like it, idiot."

Ichigo scowled. "Don't you think I know what an idiot I am? You can't expect me to come out with the best words to describe it..." He sighed. "We both know I'm not the best with words but I know that..." He sighed in exasperation. "That I was always meant to be with you."

"That really is stupid." Rukia muttered. "I'm dead, Ichigo."

Spurred on by an uncharacteristic wave of sentimentality, Ichigo gripped her wrist. "Then how are you the only one who makes me feel alive?"

"Idiot." Rukia crossed her arms. "That's such a line."

"Really." Ichigo scowled, moving so that Rukia's nose was touching the top of his chest. "Stupid midget, feel that." He pressed her against his chest, above his heart. "It's going like crazy."

Rukia pulled her hand away gently. "Don't."

Ichigo caught her shoulders, bringing her into a tight embrace. "But I love you."

Rukia's eyes widened at the words as well as the pain in his voice as he confessed. It was a well known fact that Ichigo Kurosaki never talked about love.

"I don't know what to do." He whispered, clutching the girl close and closing his eyes. "For once I have absolutely no idea."

Rukia breathed out in a sigh of regret, leaning back and brushing Ichigo's hair from his forehead, smoothing it back gently. "You really are an idiot." She frowned, meeting his eyes with her own, sadness reflected between them in the half light of the candles.

"If I'd figured it out before..." Ichigo swallowed. "Would we have been together?"

Rukia looked away. "Probably." She admitted. "But there's no point-!"

She was stopped with a searing kiss.

* * *

**Okay guys, you know the drill! Let's get... another 5 reviews? and do you think the first lemon of this story should be next chapter? Or do you want to put it off for a bit?**

**Love Kiki**


End file.
